Eurostar will launch direct services from London to Amsterdam by the end of the year.

However, the train operator has not decided whether the service will stop at Ebbsfleet or Ashford International stations in the county.

A spokesman said details of intermediary stops would be shared as it gets closer to the launch of the service.

A direct route to Rotterdam is also said to be “final stages”.

The company unveiled a preview of its new e320 trains set to run between London and Brussels today, which will be introduced over the next 18 months as part of a £1 billion investment.

The new fleet has 20% more capacity than present Eurostar services and will have wifi plus 300 hours of onboard entertainment streamed to customer devices.

The e320 trains have been operating on the London-Paris route since November 2015.

Chief executive Nicolas Petrovic said: “The introduction of the e320 on the Brussels route marks an important milestone and step change in the travel experience for our customers.

“With demand for high-speed rail over plane on the increase, we are now gearing up to expand our reach to the Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

"The launch of our new direct service on this high volume route represents a major growth opportunity for our business”.

The company hopes to entice some of the three million passengers who travel between London and Amsterdam by air each year.

Marjon Kaper, managing director of Dutch rail operator NS International, which is also working on the route, said: “The preparations for the direct connection between Amsterdam and London with Eurostar and NS are progressing well.

“All partners are working hard on this. Today is a very special day for NS and all the partners, because the start of services with the new train to Brussels literally brings the Amsterdam route closer.

“We see a lot of interest and potential for the high-speed connection between these top destinations – London for visitors from the Netherlands and Amsterdam and Rotterdam as the new hotspots for the British traveller.”